There are about 30 species of plant called horsetail.They are scattered all over the world, except for Australia and New Zealand.Horsetail - herbaceous perennial rhizome.This species is distinguished by shoots consisting of various segments (interstitials) and units with whorled arrangement of leaves.The function of photosynthesis performed by green stems and branches.It propagated mainly by rhizomes and spores.The shoots are of two types: brown, pink, branched, appear in early spring and after sporulation die, or green, not much different from the vegetative.In such plants, such as horsetail, disputes are equipped with hygroscopic tape (elaters), fastening them in a large number of kruglopodobnye nodules that wind carries quite a considerable distance.Sporangia placed on corymbose sporangiophore having a hexagonal shape and collected in the apical part of the spikelets.
Horsetail forest got its name for its resemblance to a horse's tail.The only thing that it is necessary for normal growth and development - is sufficient moisture in the soil.If the moisture content is limited, it may exist in relatively shallow groundwater.In areas of disturbed vegetation horsetail can form large thickets.It's also great grows in acidic soils (pH indicator).
rhizome weighs more than stalks, so the plant horsetail difficult to eradicate.Some of its species are poisonous to cattle.Cows that eat hay with its high content greatly reduced milk production, observed depletion, falling milk fat, suppresses the growth of wool.Other species of this plant, on the contrary, very suitable for livestock feed.Interestingly, the animals eat horsetail in extreme cold.This is due to the ability of the plant to change its composition of chemical elements during the year (accumulated during the summer with the onset of cold weather the starch is converted to sugar).For most species of horsetails human harmless.If you prepare such a plant, it is a pretty good taste.By the way, and dishes from horsetail really exist.Nevertheless, now almost forgotten about them, but sometime in the northern regions of the Russian citizens have known for many dishes of this herb.To have survived ways to create medicinal infusions and decoctions of this plant.Horsetail forest, photos of which can be seen in almost all books published about the medicinal herbs continue to be used in the treatment of diseases of the excretory system.
In medicine, often used as another type of the plant - a horsetail.Doses of additives must be in strict accordance with the testimony of a doctor, because some of its agents have the ability to have a negative impact on health in the event of an overdose.The herb horsetail rich in substances that have valuable medicinal properties.This mineral salts of calcium and potassium, tannins and acid - malic acid and oxalic acid.However, the most valuable compounds are poorly soluble forms of silicas.
